Workpiece assembling devices for sewing machines and the like



June 13, 1967 ,J. w. A. OFF ETAL 3,325,163

WORKPIECE ASSEMBLING DEVICES FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed July 9, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS JOSEPH WA. OFF JOHN A. RAUDONIS Jr. WITNESS BY RNEY THE LIKE June 13, 1967 J. w. A. OFF ETA]- WOHKPIECE ASSEMBLING DEVICES FOR SEWING MACHINES AND 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1965 DRUM LOCK FIG. 3

INVENTORS NW. N RN. 0% U A E N W R .O W 2 E N T S H A 00 [VJ Y M B 2 WI TN ES 3 6 61 6" JCAZecAwwZ June 13, 1967 J. w. A. OFF ETAL 3,325,163

WORKPIECE ASSEMBLING DEVICES FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed July 9, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet s CONTROL FOR HIGH-SPEED DRIVE MANUAL LOAD MAN I TR 1 a ycom 01. INTERLOCK LINER READY HIGH-SPEED CLUTCH HIGH-SPEED MOTOR FLIPPER-UP SEPARATION TIMER CAM MOTOR CAM- MOTOR ACTUATOR OVERLAP PREVENTION LINER FEEDING FROM TRAY TO DRUM TRAY LOADING INVENTORS JOSEPH W.A. OFF

WITNESS BY JOHN A. RAUDONIS Jr June 13, 1967 I. w. A. OFF ETAL 3,325,163

WORKPIECE ASSEMBLING DEVICES FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed July 9. 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 P B h 9TR-2 sOL-O 'r 5 Wk FEED SPRING DOWN I M FEED-ROLLER MOTOR f 9TR- sop:

s I MATERIAL CLAMP UP I4 LS L .q M% TRAY UP H ALIGNMENT RN D4 (BCRQ 67W ALIGNMENT CONTROL II ISCRQ I SOL-T }DRuM LOCK READY FOR T TCR '{SYNCHRONIZED FEED I7 WITH-1% TOR-r- ASQL-GG {sYNcHRoNIzED-sPEED CONTROL FOR CLUTCH I' .QQ POCKET POSITION T i O D 1 DRuM JAM-UP B LINER UP DELAY 0N\/' OFF /|0TR| TRANSMITTER ON s-e SOL-CC -I-- I 8 '7PLATFRM SOL Q PLATFORM DOwN A ITRANSMITTER I K -i IMOTQR INVENTORS a 4 A JOSEPH WA. OFF

BY JOHN A. RAUDONIS Jr.

WITNESS Q 4/4 welba'fi gg/ I AT RNEY United States Patent WORKPIECE ASSEMBLIN G DEVICES FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Joseph W. A. Off, Succasunna, and John A. Raudonis, In, Elizabeth, N.J., assignors to The Singer Company, New

York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed July 9, 1965, Ser. No. 470,826 4 Claims. (Cl. 270-59) This invention relates to fabric manipulating apparatus, and more particularly, to a novel device for automatically bringing together in predetermined orientation a plurality of panels of fabric or the like for operation upon as a unit in a succeeding operation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a fabric manipulating apparatus which may be applied readily to any operating unit, such as a sewin unit, for automatically presenting thereto composite multiple workpieces with the plies in predetermined relative arrangement.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the fabric manipulating apparatus of this invention is arranged to deliver a ply of lining fabric squarely beneath and in predetermined spaced relation to one edge of each one of a series of main fabric panels destined to become trouser pockets, as the main fabric panels are transported toward a sewing unit.

The fabric manipulating apparatus of this invention may advantageously be arranged completely beneath the work supporting platform of the sewing unit to deliver the lining plies upwardly beneath the pocket panels, in which case the apparatus of this invention will not detract from accessibility to the sewing unit. It will be understood however, that the apparatus of this invention may also be adapted to orient fabric plies above as well as below fabric panels and several devices of this invention may be employed concurrently to orient a multiplicity of fabric plies.

It is an object of this invention to provide in a fabric manipulating apparatus of the above character, novel and advantageous means capable of separating fabric plies from a stack, carrying the separated fabric plies into oriented relation wtih a main fabric panel, and advancing the oriented fabric ply in synchronism with the main fabric panel toward an operating unit such as a sewing machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fabric manipulating apparatus of the above character which carries fabric plies at high speed into oriented position relatively to each one of a series of main fabric panels and advances the oriented fabric plies at a slower speed in synchronism with that of the main fabric panels toward an operating unit such as a sewing machine.

In accordance with one aspect of this invention first and second material conveyors are provided for feeding separate material plies into superposition. A drive unit is employed to drive the second conveyor at a first speed and a second speed in response to operation of a selective control. The drive unit is adapted to be arrested at a predetermined position of the second conveyor. A sensing unit is provided for sensing presence of a ply at a predetermined position on the first conveyor and is operative to select operation of the driving unit at the one speed. Another sensing unit is provided for sensing presence of a ply at a selected position on the second conveyor and is operative to select operation of the driving unit at the other speed during concurrent operation of the one sensing unit to select operation of the driving unit at the one speed.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 represents a diagrammatic elevational view of a fabric orienting apparatus embodying this invention,

3,325,163 Patented June 13, 1967 FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a garment sub-assembly of which the fabric plies have been oriented by the apparatus of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a pneumatic circuit diagram illustrating the pneumatic devices used in the apparatus of FIG. 1 and FIGS. 4 and 4a comprise an electrical wiring diagram for the control instrumentalities of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 2. illustrates a finished garment sub-assembly 11 after the fabric plies have been oriented by the apparatus of this invention and the plies have been stitched together by a sewing unit. The garment sub-assembly, which in this instance is a lined trouser pocket, comprises a main fabric panel 12, formed with a stitched hem 13 along the top edge 14, and a pocket liner fabric ply 15 oriented squarely beneath the main fabric panel with a top edge 16 parallel to the top edge 14 of the main fabric panel. The fabric plies will be secured together by a line of stitches 17 in the above oriented relationship. A schematic elevational view of the fabric manipulating apparatus of this invention for orienting the garment sub-assembly 11 and delivering the oriented fabric plies to a sewing unit 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1.

The sewing unit 20 comprises a work support 21 on which a sewing machine 22 is carried. The sewing machine 22 is driven by a belt 23 from electric motor 24 by way of a transmitter 25 which may be of the clutch brake variety adapted to be controlled electrically. A belt 26 driven by the sewing machine engages a Work feeding pulley 2'7 rotatably carried above the support 21. A feed belt 28 entrained on the pulley 27 and on an idler pulley 29 carried above the support 21 at the opposite side of the sewing machine serves to advance main fabric panels 12 on the support 21 toward the sewing machine. An edge guide 3t) may be provided parallel to the feed belt 28 for maintaining the top edge 14 of the main fabric panels 12 in alignment with the direction of feed.

The support 21 of the sewing unit is formed in front of the sewing machine with a slot 40 upwardly through which the lining plies 15 are directed by the apparatus of this invention, preferably along an inclined ramp 41 leading to the slot. A sensing device such as an air prove 42 located between the slot 40 and the sewing machine serves to detect the leading edge of each successive main fabric panel 12 that is fed toward the sewing machine by the feed belt 28 so as to signal operation of the fabric manipulating apparatus of this invention to initiate synchronous feed of a liner ply 15 therewith. The air probe may comprise a tube conducting air from a source of pressure downwardly against the support 21 and an aligned air receiving tube set into the support and leading to a pressure sensitive switch 3LS.

Also controlling the operation of the fabric manipulating apparatus is a sensing device 2BR arranged in the ramp 41. The sensing device 2BR may include a light source ltlLT at one side of the ramp and a photoelectric cell PC #2 at the other side arranged to sense the presence or absence of a liner ply 15 on the ramp.

The liner plies 15 are carried on to the ramp 41 on the periphery of a rotatable drum 50 against which a belt 51 is constrained by idler rollers 52. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the ramp 41 extends into close proximity with the top of the drum 50 so that liner plies 15 carried upwardly between the belt 51 and the drum will be deflected up the ramp.

For introducing liner plies 15 one-by-one at the bottom of the drum 50 between the drum periphery and the belt 51, an air operated separator for stacked textile pieces may be employed similar to that illustrated and described in detail in the copending United States patent application of O. B. Reid, No. 213,433, filed July 30, 1962, now

abandoned, to which reference may be had. Briefly this air operated separator includes a platform 60 adapted to support a stack of liner plies 15. The platform 60 is vertically shiftable being indexable upwardly by an air piston 12AP and associated limit switches 8L5 and 9L8 which operate a pawl 61 cooperating with a ratchet wheel 62 fast on a gear 63 meshing with a rack 64 carried beneath the platform. The platform 60 may be freed for downward movement by an air piston 11AP which separates the pawl 61 from the ratchet wheel 62.

Above the stack of liner plies is disposed a flipper 65 which includes an air foil 66 along which a jet of air is directed by an air nozzle 20]. The flipper 65 is pivotally mounted and adapted to be turned by operation of an air piston SAP from a position in which the air foil 66 overlies the stack of liner plies to a position in which the air foil overlies a feed roller 67 driven by a motor 68. The air jet from air nozzle 20] causes one edge of the topmost liner ply from the stack to adhere to the air foil 66 when the flipper is turned onto the stack. When the flipper is elevated, the air foil will carry the one edge of the topmost liner ply 15 onto the feed roller 67. A feed spring 69 pivoted above the feed roller is shiftable into and out of opposition to the feed roller 67 by an air piston 9AP. After the 'feed spring 69 has been lowered into opposition with the feed roller 67 to grip the elevated edge of the topmost liner ply 15, a pivoted material clamp member 70 which is normally urged downwardly against the stack is released by operation of an air piston 13AP. A jet of air from a nozzle 22] directed against the top of the stack serves to prevent any but the topmost liner ply from being released when the material clamp member 70 is elevated. A limit switch 9L5 senses the travel of the material clamp member 70 and signals for upward indexing of the platform 60 when required in order to maintain the level of the top of the stack within prescribed limits.

The feed roller 67' propels the elevated liner plies onto a pivoted tray 80 against a fixed stop 81. A jet of air from a nozzle 21] directed along the tray assists in propelling the liner. A limit switch 12LS senses movement of the liner plies 15 onto the tray 80 and permits pivotal movement of the tray in response to operation of an air piston AP bringing the liner ply in the tray against the bottom of the drum 50.

A sensing device lER detects presence of a liner ply passing onto the drum from the tray 80 and serves to control the operation of the fabric manipulating apparatus. The sensing device lER may comprises a reflective photosensitive unit including a light source 9LT and a photocell PC #1.

The above described separator for the stacked liner plies differs from that disclosed in the referenced United States patent application No. 213,433 in certain details of construction i.e., the material clamp member 70 is shifted relatively to the stack upon each withdrawal of a liner ply and also the tray 80 is pivotally mounted. The major difference, however, resides in the manner in which the separator is combined with the drum 50 and organized with control circuitry, as will be hereinafter described so as to operate automatically in the orientation of the separated liner plies 15 with the main fabric panel 12.

Indicated generally at 90 is a transmission unit for driving the drum 50. The transmission unit includes a shaft 91 carrying a pulley 92 connected by means of a belt 93 to a pulley 94 on the drum. Connectible to the shaft 91 by way of an electromagnetic clutch unit 95 is a pulley driven by a belt 97 from a pulley 98 on the sewing machine driven feed pulley 27. Connectible to the shaft 91 by way of an electromagnetic clutch unit 99 is a pulley 100 driven by a belt 101 from a pulley 102 on a high speed motor 103. Preferably the drive from the sewing machine is arranged to provide a drum peripheral speed in synchronism with that of the feed belt 28, while the drive from the high speed motor 103 turns the drum 50 at an 4 appreciably higher rate of speed. An electrically operated friction brake unit 104 is provided on the shaft 91 to stop the drum 50 when required.

The drum 50 is adapted to be turned, i.e. indexed, in increments during operation of the device and to this end a cam is carried by the drum and provided with four cam lobes 111 adapted to be sensed by a limit switch 14LS for controlling the drum motion. For accurately locating or aligning the drum after each quarter turn, four blocks 112 equally spaced about the drum are each formed with a locating notch 113 adapted to be entered by a pointed camming element 114 carried by an air piston 14AP. Since the fixed stop 81 provides for accurate location of each liner ply 15 when each liner ply is first brought into contact with drum 50, and since the drum is moved into alignment in accurate quarter turn increments, each liner ply 15 will be presented on the ramp 41 in an accurately predetermined position so that when feed of the liner ply is initiated by a signal from the air probe 42 a very accurate orientation of liner and main fabric plies is attained.

As shown in FIG. 3 which illustrates a preferred pneumatic diagram for the fluid pressure operated devices of the apparatus of FIG. 1, fluid pressure for operating the pneumatic devices is delivered from a primary manifold 200 in which the pressure is preferably maintained at approximately 70 p.s.i. Certain of the pneumatic devices as illustrated in FIG. 3 exhaust directly to the atmosphere and in the case of an air piston are returned by mechanical spring pressure. Others of the air pistons are double acting and are returned by air pressure from an auxiliary manifold 201 in which the pressure is preferably main tained lower than in the primary manifold for instance at approximately 30 p.s.i.

Referring to FIG. 3, the air jets20], 21], and 22] as well as the air probe 42 are connected directly to the manifold 200.

Of the air pistons used with this apparatus, air pistons 9AP for the feed spring 69, MAP for the tray 80, 11AP for releasing the platform 60, and 13AP fo rthe material clamp 70 are single acting air pistons returned by mechanical springs. The remaining are pistons 8AP for turning the flipper, 12AP for raising the platform and MAP for the drum lock are preferably double acting air pistons being connected at one side to the auxiliary manifold 201 for air return.

Each of the air pistons 8AP to 14AP is supplied air from the primary manifold 200 by way of a solenoid operated air valve 208 and 214 respectively. Valves 20-8 to 214 are operated by solenoids SOLN to SOLT respectively.

In the case of air pistons SAP to 12AP inclusive; flow of air from the manifold 200 to each air piston may be regulated by an adjustable check valve 218 to 222 respectively, the check valves 218 to 222 providing for unimpeded return flow of air from the air pistons to the atmosphere. These adjustable check valves provide for regulation of the rate at which the air pistons will operate under the influence of the air from the primary manifold.

In the line between the manifold 200 and the air piston 10AP for elevating the tray 80 is also included an adjustable check valve 230 for regulating the rate at which the return flow of air from the air piston 10AP flows to the atmosphere so that the rate of both the rise and fall of the tray 80 may be regulated.

The operation of the fabric manipulating apparatus may be controlled by an electrical circuit of the kind illustrated by the schematic diagram shown on FIGS. 4 and 4A. Each circuit of the electrical system is shown connected across conventional power lines A and B. In this circuit power is assumed to be off for all relays and solenoids in the positions shown, and air probe 42 is assumed to be on.

Prior to automatic operation of the fabric manipulating apparatus, the separator platform 60 must be loaded, the drum 50 must be loaded with two liner plies 15, and a third liner ply should be supplied to the tray 80.

To that end power is applied to lines A and B and the Auto-Load switches 3-1, 5-2, and 8-4 are pushed to the Load position, and the Manual load switch 5-3 is depressed momentarily to actuate a manual load control interlock relay 15CR which is powered by normally-open contacts ZER-l which will be closed because no liner ply 15 is blocking the path between lamp IOLT and photocell PC-2. Thus normally-open interlocked contacts 15CR1 and 15CR-2 will be closed by manual load control interlock relay 15CR and as alignment cutoff contacts 13CR-1 of the then inactive alignment-control relay 13CR will be closed because alignment limit switch 14LS will be open, power will flow to high-speed, control relay llCR which operates high-speed-clutch solenoid FF controlling the high-speed clutch 99 by means of normally-open, clutch contacts 11CR-1. Contacts 13CR-1 will remain closed except when alignment-control relay 13CR is operated by alignment switch 14LS when one of the alignment cams 111 is driven to drum-alignment position, at which times the brake unit 104, and drum-lock air piston 14AP will be operated by brake solenoid SOL-HH and drum-lock solenoid SOL-T, respectively. Brake sole noid SOL-HH is operated by the closing of alignmentcontacts 13CR-4 and high-speed contacts 11CR-2 and the normallyclosed contacts 7CR-2 of synchronized-feed relay 7CR which will remain closed until the drum 50 is fully loaded and ready to pass a liner ply 15 from ramp 41 onto work support 21.

At the end of each 90 turn of the drum following the high speed portion of the cycle, the drum must be accurately aligned, thus the drum-lock solenoid T is actuated for a moment by closing of alignment-contacts 13CR3 and opening of alignment-contacts 13CR-2 in a conventional pulsing circuit including resistor R-1, diode D-1, and capacitor C-2. In addition, switch S-4i removes power from transmitter, time-delay relay ltlTR which opens contacts TR-1 and closes contacts 10TR-2 to remove power from the transmitter-on solenoid SOL-CC and applies power to transmitter-off solenoid SOL-DD to turn the transmitter 25 off.

At the same time, the flipper air cylinder SAP will be operated by flipper solenoid SOLN by closure of camtimer-flipper contacts 9TR1 of cam-timer relay 9TR driven by separation-cam-timer motor MTR9TR which is operated by detented limit switch ZtlLS from which the detent 120 is removed by cam-motor-actuator solenoid SOL-EB when cam-motor-overlay-prevention contacts 5TR-1 and STE-2 are closed during the time delay of liner-overlapprevention relay 5TR which closes contacts STR-Z immediately on actuation and opens contacts 5TR1 after a short delay permitting motor MTR-9TR to hold switch ZOLS closed for the remainder of the cammotor timing cycle.

Overlap relay STR will operate when contacts 1ER-1 are closed by tray-to-drum sensing relay ER-l when the beam to cell PC1 from light 9-LT is not blocked and contacts ZCR-l are closed because tray-loading control relay 2CR is actuated by tray-loading limit switch 12LS Which is closed when no liner ply is on tray 80.

Then cam timer 9TR will operate in succession the feed spring 69 via air cylinder 9AP driven by solenoid SOL-O via timer contacts 9TR-2, and the feed roller motor 68 and material-clamp air cylinder 13AP driven by solenoid SOL-S via timer contacts 9TR-3. When the drum 50 is to be stopped by closure of alignment switch 14LS, switch 14LS, and contacts 9TR-4 permit the tray 80 to be raised by air cylinder MAP driven by solenoid SOL-P, and the alignment relay 13CR operates to provide alignment as described above.

At that point, the tray 80 will be filled and the tray switch 12LS will open, removing power from tray-loading control relay 2CR, thence overlap relay STR, thence cammotor solenoid SOL-BE to prevent repetition of the cam-motor cycle while a liner ply 15 in on the tray i.e., to prevent overlap of liner plies. Then the whole mechanism will stop.

Manual load push button switch S3 must be depressed to start the cycle again because alignment-contacts 13CR-1 will be held open by the corresponding alignment cam 111, alignment switch 14LS, and alignment relay 13CR since the drum is in the first aligned position with the brake on. The high-speed relay 11CR will operate to remove the brake by opening normally-closed contacts 11CR-2 and as before, the drum will be advanced at high speed by another 90 increment by closure of contacts 11CR1, and operation of solenoid SOL-FF and motor 103 to draw the liner ply then on the elevated tray up to the intermediate position. At the same time another liner ply will be supplied to the tray 80 as soon as tray-loading switch 12LS closes when the first liner ply leaves the tray to actuate tray-loading relay 20R, and the trailing edge of the first liner ply passes the beam from 9LT to PC-ll turning on unit 1BR, respectively closing tray-loading contacts 2CR-1 and tray-to-drum contacts llER 1 respectively, thence powering overlap relay STR, cam-timer actuator SOL-BE, and the cam motor MTR9TR, as before.

When the drum 5%) is in the second aligned position, with the tray 80 refilled and raised, half-way up drum St (in intermediate posltion) the and thereby removing power from the liner-ready sensor ZER and returning the contacts ZElR-l, 2ER-2 and 2ER-3 controlled thereby to their normal positions. Concurrently, the second liner 3LS closed in the absence of a pocket under probe 42 thereby operating pocket-position relay 17CR. Before synchronized-speed drive can commence, synchronized-feed relay 7CR must be actuated to close contacts 7CR-1 to gprate synchronized-speed, clutch-control solenoid SOL Synchronized-feed relay 7CR can operate only it, first of all liner-ready contacts 2ER2 close while pocket-notready contacts 17CR-2 remain closed, i.e. 3L5 is closed, showing that a pocket is not yet in position, thereby powering interlock relay SCR which closes bypass contacts SCR-l around pocket-not ready contacts 17CR-2. Interlock relay SCR assures that synchronized feed will tacts 7CR-2.

Before the transmitter 25 can be turned on by solenoid SOL-CC, switch 8-5 must be closed, switch S6 open, and jam-up contacts 10TR1 must be closed '(10TR-2 open) by jam-up relay lllTR which will operate if Auto-Load switch dis closed, and contacts 16CR-1 are closed (which will occur only when power is supplied to jam-up logic relay MGR), and if excessive delay relay when liner-ready contacts 2ER-2 close. In other words the excessive-delay contacts 4TR-l open when the machine holds a liner ply in position too long, indicating a failure of the fabric handling apparatus.

Logic relay 16CR will not operate to close contacts 16CR-1 if either of the following events occur:

(1) a pocket 12 is not in position (contacts 17CR3 controlled by relay llYCR controlled by switch 3L8 are open) and no liner ply 15 is ready (contacts 2ER3 are open).

(2) a pocket is not in position (contacts 17CR-3 are open) and a liner is ready (contacts 2ER3 closed) but no liner ply is being fed from the tray (contacts 1ER3 are open) and no liner ply is present on the tray (contacts 2CR2 are opened by power to relay 2CR from closed tray switch 12LS). Otherwise jam-up relay l6CR will operate indicating faultless separation and feeding onto the drum. Several failures may occur. For example, it may be that the supply of pockets has been exhausted, delayed, or that a pocket is jammed in belt 28.

Synchronized feed is prevented once the liner ply passes from control of drum t) and the path of photocell PC2, by SOL-GG via '7CR1 via 7 CR because opening of contacts 2ER2.

Excessive delay relay 4TR will hold the machine off, if the apparatus is unable to correct the condition of delay of delivery of a pocket within a selected period of time, because for instance, the separator is unable to deliver a liner ply to the tray when it is empty, jammed, etc.

The transmitter-delay relay ltlTR will stop the transmitter if excessive time is required for a liner ply to be positioned on the tray St) or passed on from it or for a liner ply to arrive in ready position opposite photocell PC-Z.

Synchronized speed operation will continue until the trailing edge of a liner ply passes by PC-2 thereby opening contacts 2BR-2 to remove power from relays 7CR, 4CR and SCR, removing synchronized speed clutch via contacts '7CR1 and solenoid SOL-GG. Contacts ZER-l operate high speed relay llCR to cause operation of the high speed drive to the next drum position so that a liner ply will be ready just after the pocket moves past switch 3LS signalling for feeding another liner ply at synchronized speed. Alignment contacts 13CR1 will open when 14LS signals that an alignment position has been reached thereby declutching the high speed drive, braking the drum and accurately positioning the drum into alignment by means of the drum lock as before.

As explained above, the platform must be periodically raised to the proper position to hold the depleting stack of liner plies thereon in contact with the clamp '70 and the flipper 65. Thus, the air cylinder 12A? will be driven by solenoid SOL-R as described above when the material clamp 70 is down far enough to indicate need for raising the platform (9L8 closed) and the cam timer relay 9TR has reclosed 9TR5 after a separation. The limit switch 8L5 will be opened by detent 61 on each stroke to return pawl 61. Pawl 61 is reciprocated until limit switch 9L8 opens when no further adjustment is necessary.

When it is desired to reload the platform, switches S7 and 8-8 are operated to actuate solenoid SOLQ to withdraw the pawl 61 by means of air cylinder 11AP, thereby permitting rack 64 and ratchet 62 to move freely until platform 60 has fallen by gravity to its lower limit.

What is claimed herein is:

1. Apparatus for superposing separate material plies comprising a first and a second material conveying means having a point of confluence for providing superposition of said separate material plies by operation of said conveying means, means for sensing the presence of one of said separate material plies under the influence of said first conveying means in a first predetermined position relatively to said point of confluence, means for stopping said second conveying means with another of said separate material plies subject to the influence there of, and with said other material ply disposed in a second predetermined position relatively to said point of confluence, driving means for operating said second conveying means at the same material advancing rate as said first conveying means relatively to said point of confluence, means effective in response to operation of said sensing means for actuating said drive means, means for detecting improper operation of at least said second conveying means, and providing an output in response thereto, and means for arresting operation of said apparatus in response to operation of said detecting means.

2. Apparatus for superposing separate material plies comprising a first and a second material conveying means having a point of confluence for providing superposition of said separate material plies by operation of said conveying means, driving means for operating said second conveying means at a first speed and a second speed in response to selective control, means for arresting said driving means at a predetermined position of said second conveyor, one sensing means for sensing a ply at a predetermined position on said first conveying means operative to select operation of said driving means at said first speed, another sensing means for sensing a ply at a predetermined position on said second conveying means operative to select operation of said driving means at said second speed.

3. Apparatus for superposing upper and lower material plies comprising an endless conveyor, a rotatable drum having an input and an output for material, said conveyor and said drum having a point of confluence, means for supplying separate lower plies of material to the input of said drum seriatim, one detection means for sensing presence of a lower ply at the output of said drum proximate to said point of confluence, another detection means for sensing presence of an upper ply proximate said point of confluence, fast drive means for driving said drum at high speed, slow drive means for driving said drum at slow speed, positioning means for accurately aligning said drum relatively to a predetermined position, a control system operative in response to said one detection means in the absence of a lower ply at said one detecting means to position said drum by actuation of said high speed drive, and responsive to said one detection means in the presence of a lower ply at said one detection means to operate said positioning means, and operate said means for supplying separate lower plies, and said control system operative in response to said one and said other detection means in the presence of a lower ply at said output and an upper ply at said other detection means to operate said slow drive means.

4. Apparatus for superposing upper and lower material plies comprising an endless conveyor, a rotatable drum, said conveyor and said drum having a point of confluence, said conveyor being positioned above a work support for cooperation therewith to provide advancement of material by said conveyor on said work support, said drum being positioned beneath said work support, an aperture in said work support and a ramp therein positioned to pass lower plies of material from said drum to said work support, means for supplying separate lower plies of material from a prearranged stack of said lower plies to said drum comprising a separator for delivering said lower plies in seriatim from said stack, a tray accommodating said lower plies from said separator, lifting means for elevating said tray against said drum periphery, first detection means for sensing presence of a lower ply on said tray, second detection means for sensing a lower ply passing from said tray to said drum, third detection means for sensing presence of a lower ply on said ramp, and fourth detection means for sensing an upper ply in a predetermined position on said work support relative to said aperture, fast drive means for driving said drum at high speed, fifth detecting means for sensing a predetermined drum position, braking means for stopping said drum near said predetermined position, locking means for aligning said drum accurately in said predetermined position, and slow drive means for operating said drum in synchronism with said first conveyor to provide identical fabric advancing rates relatively to said point of confluence, means for retaining lower plies in contact with said drum periphery, means for actuaing said separator automatically in the absence of a lower ply on said tray in response to operation of said first and said second detection means, means for stopping said conveyor in the absence of a lower ply on said tray as indicated by said first and second detection means and in the absence of a lower ply on said ramp as indicated by said third detection means, said third detection means actuating said high speed drive in the absence of a lower ply on said ramp thereby operating said high speed drive until said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,883,929 4/1959 Eichenbaum et al. 101-132.5 3,083,009 3/1963 Barr et a1 27058 3,112,680 12/1963 Hein et a1 93--61 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

20 P. WILLIAMS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR SUPERPOSING SEPARATE MATERIAL PLIES COMPRISING A FIRST AND A SECOND MATERIAL CONVEYING MEANS HAVING A POINT OF CONFLUENCE FOR PROVIDING SUPERPOSITION OF SAID SEPARATE MATERIAL PLIES BY OPERATION OF SAID CONVEYING MEANS, MEANS FOR SENSING THE PRESENCE OF ONE OF SAID SEPARATE MATERIAL PLIES UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SAID FIRST CONVEYING MEANS IN A FIRST PREDETERMINED POSITION RELATIVELY TO SAID POINT OF CONFLUENCE, MEANS FOR STOPPING SAID SECOND CONVEYING MEANS WITH ANOTHER OF SAID SEPARATE MATERIAL PLIES SUBJECT TO THE INFLUENCE THEREOF, AND WITH SAID OTHER MATERIAL PLY DISPOSED IN A SECOND PREDETERMINED POSITION RELATIVELY TO SAID POINT OF CONFLUENCE, DRIVING MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID SECOND CONVEYING MEANS AT THE SAME MATERIAL ADVANCING RATE AS SAID FIRST CONVEYING MEANS RELATIVELY TO SAID POINT OF CONFLUENCE, MEANS EFFECTIVE IN RESPONSE TO OPERATION OF SAID SENSING MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID DRIVE MEANS, MEANS FOR DETECTING IMPROPER OPERATION OF AT LEAST SAID SECOND CONVEYING MEANS, AND PROVIDING AN OUTPUT IN RESPONSE THERETO, AND MEANS FOR ARRESTING OPERATION OF SAID APPARATUS IN RESPONSE TO OPERATION OF SAID DETECTING MEANS. 